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Top 3 Wide Receiver Trios Heading Into 2024 NFL Season
By Kyle Wood,
2024-08-20
NFL teams are stockpiling wide receiver talent and committing larger portions of their salary caps to the position than ever. There’s a wealth of talent at wide receiver entering the league every year via the draft, evidenced by almost annual record-breaking rookie seasons .
A few teams have figured out how to pair highly paid pass catchers together to strengthen their aerial attacks while others have run into issues keeping those groups together. In the arms race for All-Pro and Pro Bowl-caliber wide receivers, three teams — each of which made an addition this offseason. have assembled the best trios in the league heading into a new season.
The Texans acquired Stefon Diggs (left) to complement Nico Collins and Tank Dell.
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Houston Texans Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell
Collective accolades: Two All-Pro teams, four Pro Bowl selections, seven 1,000-yard seasons
Collins, a 2021 third-round pick, broke out in 2023 to the tune of 1,297 yards and eight scores. He finished second in yards per route run (3.11) and was PFF’s third-highest graded receiver . Collins was also seventh in yards per catch (16.2) and posted one of the lowest drop rates (1.8%) in the league in the healthiest year of his career.
Dell, a 2023 third-rounder, overcame size concerns across 11 games until a leg injury ended his rookie season. He racked up 709 yards and seven touchdowns and finished second behind Puka Nacua in receiving yards per game among 2023 draft picks. Dell acquitted himself as a downfield threat, finishing top 20 in yards per reception (15.1) and average depth of target (14.3).
As for Diggs, who the Texans traded for this offseason, he will turn 31 in November and is coming off his worst season since 2018. But he also has six consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards and four in a row with at least 100 catches. That’ll do just fine for a second or third option in Houston’s offense, led by second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Chicago Bears DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze
Collective accolades: Six Pro Bowl selections, 10 1,000-yard seasons
Moore enjoyed the best season of his career in his first year in Chicago. That earned him an extension , and the Bears are hopeful that he’s about to benefit from even better quarterback play with the arrival of No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Moore set new highs with 96 catches for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns with Justin Fields under center. He was PFF’s 10th highest-graded receiver and he tied CeeDee for fourth in ESPN’s overall metric.
After 11 years with the Los Angeles Chargers, which date back to their days in San Diego, Allen was traded to Chicago to be the veteran in a young receiver room with a first-year quarterback. He played just 13 games in his age 31 season, but he topped 1,000 yards and 100 catches yet again. Evidently, Allen isn’t slowing down just yet after finishing 10th in yards per route run (2.36) and first in ESPN’s open score. His 1,243 yards were the second most of his career and his 108 catches set a new high.
Odunze is the only rookie on this list and he enters the NFL with high expectations. The Bears selected him ninth overall after a national championship-winning season at Washington in which he led the FBS with 1,640 receiving yards. Odunze was PFF’s 10th highest-graded receiver at the college level in 2023 and the second receiver off the board in April’s draft.
Miami Dolphins Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Odell Beckham Jr.
As good a career as Hill has had, he had never led the league in receiving yards or touchdowns until 2023, when he racked up a career-high 1,799 yards in 16 games and found the end zone 13 times. Hill was PFF’s highest-graded receiver, paced all pass catchers in yards per route run (3.72) and finished fourth in ESPN’s open score . No receiver had more first downs (83) than Hill, who also led the NFL in yards per touch (14.5) for the third time in his career.
Injuries marred Waddle’s third season as a pro while Hill shined, yet the Alabama product still managed to crack 1,000 yards in just 14 games. Waddle posted career-lows across the board (72 catches, 1,104 yards, four touchdowns) yet still finished as a top 10 receiver, per PFF, and among the league leaders in yards per route run (2.52).
Beckham is a big name, but the 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year will turn 32 in November as he embarks on his 10th NFL season. His last 1,000-yard season came in 2019 when he was with the Cleveland Browns. However, Beckham’s 565 yards in 2023 were good for second-most on the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, and he also averaged career-highs in yards per catch (16.1) and average depth of target (13.9). If he can stay healthy, coach Mike McDaniel should be able to optimize Beckham.
Honorable mention: San Francisco 49ers (Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings), Los Angeles Rams (Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson), Philadelphia Eagles (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Parris Campbell), Cincinnati Bengals (Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas)
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